1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods for regeneration, repair or grafting of tissue.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
Various membrane types have been used in the repair and regeneration of a number of tissue types, including skin, mucosa, meniscus, cartilage, vertebral discs, ligament and bone.
Skin grafting for repair of damaged skin tissue has been an established procedure for some time. The use of split thickness skin grafts and oral mucosal free grafts in vestibular deepening and other types of related surgery in the oral cavity has also been an established procedure for some time. In addition, the use of free mucosal grafts taken from the palate and from the buccal mucosa has been used in re-establishing attached mucosal surfaces in edentulous alveolar ridge areas particularly in conjunction with the use of root form implants.
While such grafting procedures are well established, the development of an effective alloplastic or xenogeneic substitute graft material for the reconstruction and regeneration of normal skin and mucous membrane would bring about a much wider application of vestibuloplasty or other surgical procedures.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,713,085 discloses a membrane for skin and mucosa regeneration comprising a barrier layer including an outer smooth collagen barrier face and an opposite fibrous face, to which a matrix layer of collagen which may be applied to the fibrous collagen face as a slurry.
There remains a need in the art for improvements in promoting regeneration of tissue, e.g., following surgical procedures.